Tables at The Beirne Park in Hendra are regularly covered with garden produce, baked goods, preserves and handmade creations, but no prices are attached to anything brought along.
Harvest Cook Create – Northside Community Swap gives residents a place to exchange what they grow, cook or make without using money. The gathering is held on the third Saturday of each month, with participants trading their contributions while also sharing recipes, gardening advice and practical skills.
Hendra resident Melinda Adams established the initiative after attending community produce swaps elsewhere in Brisbane and searching for a similar gathering on the northside.
The public Facebook group was created on 17 October 2024 to help build local connections, encourage the sharing of knowledge and provide another way for households to use surplus homegrown and homemade goods. It has since reached about 1,500 members.
Goods From Gardens, Kitchens and Craft Tables
The selection changes each month depending on the season and what participants have available.
A recent gathering included lemons, oranges, bananas, passionfruit, sweet potatoes, carrots, herbs, ginger, turmeric, chillies, flowers, seeds and potted plants. Gardening contributions also included compost, worm juice and homemade fertiliser products.
Food brought to the park ranged from jams, marmalades and pickled vegetables to sourdough, cakes, biscuits, granola, smoked cheese, dried fruit, spice blends and flavoured salts.
Some participants contributed recipes and foods connected with family traditions, including Croatian sugar cookies made from a recipe passed down through generations.
Handcrafted items filled other sections of the swap, including jewellery, keyrings, watercolour artworks, crochet pieces, baskets, tote bags, scrunchies, play dough and 3D-printed creations. Homemade laundry products, magnesium oil and fragrances were also available.
No Set Value Required
The exchange does not rely on matching prices or assigning dollar values to each item. Participants bring what they have produced and swap it for something contributed by another person.
A large selection is not required. Smaller contributions such as herbs, biscuits or one handmade item can be added to the tables alongside larger batches of produce and baked goods.
Children from the Eucalyptus class at Hendra House Early Learning also contributed to a recent gathering after helping prepare vegetables used in jars of pickled produce.
The event is supported by participants who assist with setting up and packing away tables, collecting name tags and carrying equipment after the swap.
As attendance has grown, participants with folding tables, picnic tables, blankets, sturdy boxes or other suitable display surfaces have been encouraged to bring them. Space remains available for those without their own table.
Harvest Cook Create meets from 8:30am to 10am near the children’s playground and Moreton Bay fig trees at The Beirne Park on Burilda Street.
The next Hendra swap is scheduled for Saturday 15 August, followed by the group’s second birthday gathering on Saturday 17 October.
Published 29-July-2026
